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Governance
Since the area of Gator Bay is primarily divided up into separate tribes, it’s only natural that the few remaining fertile people would band together. As they began to grow in number, this tribe began to recognize the power they held over the other people in the Gator Bay area. Being the only tribe with access to children, this “Fertility Tribe” began to expand into more city area, garnering control of some of the only working hospitals and schools. This tribe will trade such social services to other for food or other resources, like power or weapons. Trade is done at trading posts, and there are two present within the region. Despite the government’s strong presence, there is no set government building or capital because the people of Gator Bay, for the most part, do not listen to the government and laws are not common.
Governing Tribe
The governing tribe is quite large, and has the means to create and enforce laws through its connection with the military tribe and its access to the limited power in the area. The tribe is quite present in the city area, though it has yet to establish or enforce any particular rule of law, it is beginning to explore that power. For years, the people of Gator Bay followed their own set of unspoken laws, of course some people did not, but in more recent times, perhaps within the past three years, the several tribes of Gator Bay have been taking the governing tribe more seriously. This is partly due to the governing tribe’s growing power and military connections, though it is likely that the people are tired and are hoping they can return to how things were before the war destroyed civilization as they--predominantly the elders--knew it.
This governing tribe occasionally trades with the military for weapons that it can use to protect its lands and its citizens. The Gator Bay area is infested with giant animals, the mutated results of the biochemical weapons used in World War III, and it is important that the governing tribe has the means to secure the area it has expanded into. Although, these weapons are sometimes found useless, due to the utter strength and size of the mutations. Such is true with Lucky, the mutated gator that has taken home in the lake. With its strengthened skin and size of a beast, its scales remain nearly impenetrable. However, the weapons do prove effective when scaring off larger deer or killing weaker animals.
The large tribe of fertile people trades access to adoption in exchange for most of their other needs. The other smaller tribes must maintain good relations with this fertility tribe if they wish to continue to exist in the area at all. Without adoption, their numbers would dwindle. Tribe jumping amongst adults tends to be rare and it is even more rare to jump from a large tribe to a smaller one. This allows the fertility tribe to trade frequently with the military tribe. With the military in constant fear of follow up attacks from the previous war, they constantly require new recruits to serve and train under them. Though nobody knows exactly what the military is up to in their base, it is known that they have weapons and are willing to trade in order to stay high up on adoption lists. Their high supplies of MREs and non-perishable food have allowed them to remain such a strong force.
The Fertility tribe has mostly taken up residence in the city area near the river, leading to the bay. Just South-East of the river delta is a few city blocks that are close enough together that they are easy to protect and support. This tribe bonds through its privilege of fertility. The 20% of the population that is still fertile have stuck together in a tribe of its own. With limited power sources and resources, the ability to produce children remains their one asset that is pivotal to survival. This tribe contains the most growth and provides children for other tribes in exchange for essential needs.
Lake Tribe
The Lake tribe has survived through hydroelectric power, with their proximity to water. The lake produces very few opportunities for fish and other food, but gives a source for clean water and power. When radiation and biological warfare became incorporated into WWIII, most animals died, but some grew in size and strength. The Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo was once the home to a rare albino alligator named Lucky. Lucky was one of the few that survived the radiation and grew over four times the size of a normal gator. He lurked into the nearby lake and claimed it as his own. The Lake tribe remains his one source of food. To protect themselves from the beast and provide a gift to their gator god, the Fertility tribe will often take a member of a neighboring tribe as their monthly sacrifice.
Naturalistics
The final tribe with major influence, the Naturalistics, are composed of the remaining Native Americans. This group remains peaceful and manages to feed off the Earth. With the unkept industrial side of Gator Bay dwindling, nature has taken over the town. The Naturalistic tribe gets nutrients from the grass and trees, living off the non-mutated parts of the county. These passive individuals have only one firm stance. When the fertility problem first arose, the Native Americans, specifically of the Ho-Chunk tribe, venerated their god, Man’una. This deity is known as the “Earthmaker”, who the Ho-Chunk believe was responsible for creating the world and bringing life to it. When he refused to answer their prayers, the Native American tribe sought their revenge by stopping all appreciation of dance and music. Their strong stance has rarely been questioned, as musical instruments are seen as non-essential wastes and dance has not been practiced in years.
Other Tribes
These three major tribes wield influence over the smaller tribes that make up the rest of Gator Bay. Other important tribes includes the military, farmers, miners, the historians, scrappers, electricians, artisans, breeders and the technicians.
Most of these groups focus on doing exactly what there name entails them doing. The technicians fix old technology, create new technology, and are always desperately trying to make everything they get a hold of use as little power as possible. The miners mine.
The scrappers on the other hand tend to keep to their own. They are mutants, being the only humans still around either directly affected by, or the descendants of, the biological warfare that occurred so long ago. Some people believe that they possess psychic powers but most people in Gator Bay see that as hogwash.
The artisans build home goods and make clothing, as well as constantly working on ways to make recipes in order to increase the flavor profiles of the limited variety of edible foods in the area. The historians are the last vestige of culture in Gator Bay. They hold on to records of media from the past and trade entertainment for energy and other essentials. In addition to this they are the closest thing to teachers this world has, educating anyone and everyone that will listen. Farmers tend crops and they live in close correspondence with the breeders who raise livestock.
Economics
The biological weapons used in WWIII caused significant mutations in the flora and fauna in the land surrounding Gator Bay. The most common observable result of these mutations is a drastic increase in size of plants and animals living in this area.
To someone not familiar with the Gator Bay area, it would seem that food is plentiful. However, the Gator Bay region is considered to be experiencing a food shortage, as although there is plentiful wildlife, most of it is assumed to be unsafe for human consumption. Attempts to identify and/or cultivate species that are not toxic or otherwise harmful to human consumption have yielded very little success as multiple members of the same species may vary widely in terms of toxicity and nutritional value.
Trade and Domesticated Animals
Trade is the main component of the economy in Gator Bay. Despite having little to no source of trade from outside communities, there are a few main trading posts of sorts within Gator Bay itself. Tribes with higher populations and those with much more accessible forms of technology, wildlife, and energy sources become cultural centers, and the smaller tribes with less social standings will often trade manual labor for goods or food. However, the lack of outside trade caused this region to have an immense decline in gas and oil, resulting in transport systems such as trains, cars, and other machinery becoming obsolete. Instead, many of the tribes have turned to domesticating the local mutated animal population. Because many of the local fauna were affected by the biological weaponry of WWIII, traditionally smaller creatures such as deer, raccoon, and rabbits have all grown substantially in size. Deer have become the most preferred form of transportation, as they have many desirable qualities other animals lack. They are easy to domesticate, fast, require little food source as grazing animals, and can be bred as young as six months old, providing an easily-sustainable population for widespread access to transport throughout all of the tribes. Once domesticated, they are broken into teams of six to eight, much like dog sleds or horse-drawn coaches. Most often, these deer-sleds are used to make trips to and from the land to the north of Gator Bay, the Black Forty Mines, where metals and minerals are relatively accessible and are a common trading good between all classes of the tribes. For control purposes, the population of “transport deer” are bred to be mostly female, since the males are far larger, roughly the size of Clydesdale horses. Each population has two or three males to carry heavy carts of materials back from the mines, but for the most part, these teams of transport deer are predominantly female.
On top of mutated deer, the population of Gator Bay has also domesticated the local populations of wolves, coyotes, and foxes as personal transport systems--much like the everydayman’s car. Similarly to cars, these animals also have different levels of appeal. Coyotes are the easiest to find and domesticate due to their high population, but are visually the most lackluster, ideal for people who care about function more than fashion. Wolves and foxes appeal to the members of society with “finer taste”, as their array of coat colors appeal in the same way different models of sports cars appeal to a modern man, but they are not as common to find as coyotes and are often far more temperamental and difficult to domesticate, foxes especially.
Stockpiles
As far as food sources go, other than mutated crops and scavenging the land, one such tribe of the region - known as The Military - holds a pre-war stockpile of food which offers a safer more dependable source of sustenance than what the other tribes can find through foraging. The Military mostly keeps itself separate from the other tribes, but is willing to trade food from its stockpiles for various goods the other tribes have collected. Although, the tribes in the region are lacking in food, the urban areas are full of machinery, electronics, and finished goods that several tribes gather for trade. In addition, some tribes harvest metals from the mines in the north. In this way, the tribes are heavily involved in increasing amounts of trade, while the agricultural aspects of society are ultimately lacking. Electronic and machinery scavengers are on the rise as the Military still views these resources is highly valuable for another possible war on the horizon. In turn, whatever the Military sees as valuable becomes a sort of fiat currency. Energy sources usually take center stage, anything from AA batteries, alternators, gas generators, or solar panels are traded like bars of gold. Despite this, industry has yet to recover since the populations decline. Very few are knowledgeable on the subject, and they generally use that knowledge to maintain or repair what is commonly used by their tribes rather than try and manufacture any goods. Instead, engineers tends to be used for constructing and maintaining buildings and vehicles.
Daily Life
While the general public is much more concerned with eating and feeling more and more comfortable in tribal lifestyles, guns and weapons take a back seat. Guns and other old broken and battered military equipment is traded into society and dismantled for parts, mechanisms, fire starters, and flares to deter the giant roaming animals.
The entertainment industry is virtually non-existent, with tribes largely choosing to ignore creating new entertainment to focus on more practical matters. Instead, people trade older entertainment within and between tribes, with a focus on things that do not take up any power such as books or board games.
The service industry has been abandoned due to lack of the resources needed to drive it. With food being limited, restaurants do not exist. Instead, small groups gather most of the tribe’s food, then exchange that for other goods. This means that while food is limited, most people have little difficulty obtaining enough to live off.
There is a difference in resource distribution among the tribes, but the disparities between groups are relatively small. Where one tribe is lacking in power, food, pelts, or building material; they typically have access to another type of resources some of the other tribes do not. As such, the people of the region mostly substance themselves through a balanced system of trade.
Due to the inclimate weather of apocalyptic winters, furs, pelts, and textiles are some of the most frequently traded items and make up for a majority of the economy, right next to dried meats and foods with a long shelf life. Things like the Military’s MRE’s, and dehydrated packages, as well as dried nuts fruits and berries to accompany salted meats.
Social Relations
Fertile and Infertile Populations
The biological weapons used in World War III resulted in a high percentage of infertility among the surviving population of Gator Bay. Because of this infertility, a division between fertile and infertile individuals arose. The few that are fertile live together in a small but powerful tribe, backed by two other tribes comprised of the military and religious extremists. They form the central government of the bay area and have control over prime land. Their jobs mainly focus on leadership and reproduction, leaving less desirable jobs to the infertile population - including farming, scavenging, construction, etc.
In general the fertile tribe has mixed emotion towards it by other tribes. Some smaller tribes that see the world and humanity as inevitably doomed do not see any merit in supporting or raising up randomly chosen individuals. Other tribes tend to be so focused on their own societies that they do not concern themselves with such trivial ideas. One such tribe, the Gamma Guild which holds an elementary school based nuclear reactor, creates the majority of the electrical energy for nearby tribes. They keep to themselves and are often looked down upon for their gross mutations and physical appearance. However the Fertile tribe creates many children, so when some inevitably turn out infertile and are sent away, the other tribes such as the Gamma Guild acquire new workers. It is this small trade that incentivizes the Gamma Guild to provide the Fertile tribespeople with power, as the lives of the Gammafolk are often short and ill fated.
The fertile believe they are chosen by God, and have interpreted out of that their divine right to rule. They are what drives the future of their society (literally with their offspring) and so they are the “1%”, the highest class. The infertile make up a more equalized faction, with some tribes perhaps having an easier role than others (ex. Running technology versus farming on the border) but overall having a generally equal standing. The regulations and rule of law of the government don’t extend further than general mandates and the percentage of crops/supplies the government dictates they receive (think a lord and his peasants) but the infertile otherwise fend for themselves.
These views are not shared by every tribe. While the fertile believe themselves self proclaimed nobles, many other tribes see them as just an uptight tribe that pumps out new workers. This is beneficial as a whole however not immediately beneficial as children are a long term investment, and the working population drops off sometimes much faster than children are born. With the exception of the few tribes that idolize them as the future of a civilized and prosperous society a divide is created between those that live to survive the day, and those that strive for a grand future. This is often a great debate between civilians, whether there is a future to look up to, or simply a numbered amount of days to enjoy. Those that cherish the latter are often rash and self subservient, while the former tribes people tend to attempt to set up lasting social constructs. This leads to ultimately a judgement of ideals. As long as the world exists in this state of societal turmoil, this dilemma will always exist. The question of whether there is a future to look forward too, or simply fleeting memories of the past to try to cling to until you inevitably fade away.
Sexuality
Sexual orientation is something that only matters when the person is fertile. Those who are fertile must be in heterosexual relationships in order to repopulate. This leads to a severe discriminatory outlook on homosexuality within the fertile community. Often, people who are found to be homosexual are either punished within the community or, much less frequently, exiled. Despite the low occurrence, most homosexual fertile people choose to keep their sexuality a secret to all and continue the repopulation effort to avoid the chance of being kicked out. Individuals who are not fertile, however, are seen as less important by those in power, and therefore their sexuality doesn't matter. Because of the hard division between those who are fertile and those who are not, the binary (male/female) outlook on gender has more or less disappeared. Instead, those who are not fertile might consider themselves a “third gender”, since their biological sex isn’t considered important or relevant in terms of reproduction. Gender however is almost only discussed to any length within the tribe that is fertile. For in outlying tribes sexuality ultimately has lost it's meaning. You cannot claim that homosexuality is killing the population, when there is no chance of child bearing in the first place. In this way most tribes do not discuss the moral or ethical decisions of sexuality. Sexuality is more fluid and diverse, as relationships between strong pairings of any kind come to the surface. After all, a pair of strong women are twice as likely to kick your ass if you get in their way.
Race
Race originally played a much more powerful role before World War III since the surrounding area was predominantly white, but after the infertility crisis, power shifted from a racial standpoint to a reproductive standpoint. Although a few of the weaker/smaller tribes are still separated by race (the Native Americans, for example, are their own tribe with a religion that differs from the fertile tribe’s religion), race is not as heavily weighted as it originally was due to the rise in power of fertile individuals. That being said, residual racism is still evident in Gator Bay, as many of the “minority tribes”, such as tribes that are predominantly Asian or predominantly Hispanic, are tasked with the more undesirable societal jobs. These jobs could be anything from testing mutated crops for ingestion safety and wrangling the overgrown farm animals to being chosen as a “sacrificial offering” (or even a snack) for the fertility God. This division comes from more of a historical background than any real circumstance. When stories or histories dictate rumors of immigration and slavery, some of the ideals stick in the back of the minds of the upcoming societies. this can be seen easily in the splitting of the tribes into smaller groups. The Tribes became as they are due to a number of reasons, but generally they were created around similarities rather than random chance. Between beliefs, physical appearance, physical opportunities, or even just sanity and assumed lineage, these tribes were birthed from many of the same reasons we had countries and borders in the past.
Cultural Influences
Military Influence
Although World War III has long passed, the military presence in Gator Bay is still strong. The remaining 1,308 militia have formed their own tribe often called the military tribe or the Military by the other tribes in the region, focused on the accumulation of ammunition and weaponry. They inhabit Fort McCoy, although the building was meant to hold up to 35,000 people. With this large of a military fortress, the tribe trades MREs for any scavenged metals or metals gathered from nearby mines. It is here that new weapons are formed for the next World War, although no other tribes seem to share the concern. There is no longer a call to join the military tribe and the public is losing interest. The military tribe still sees itself as part of the US Army. Although the military tribe is mainly dedicated to stockpiling for a future war, it also helps protect the region. Usually the only protection the Military provides is from the large mutated animals surrounding the county. However, the military tribe still fears the possibility that outsiders or other strangers may show up and try to claim Gator Bay for themselves. Most of the other tribes believe that if anyone is still around outside of Gator Bay, they would busy dealing with their own survival and wouldn’t bother with anyone in another region. As time passes and the tribes in the region care less and less about the possibility of war, the other tribes of Gator Bay increasingly see the military as a distant but well-supplied trading partner and nothing more. The back forty tribe keeps the Black Forty Mine north of town open mostly to trade the mined metals with the military, and other tribes can barter scraps and less desirable metals from them to keep their own technology running.
Religious Influence
With the increased need for survival, various tribes have banded together in Gator Bay. As previously stated, the militaristic tribe holds interests in protection and stockpiling weaponry and other supplies. With the solar panels set-up for power and plentiful food supplies, the tribe has strength in resources. Meanwhile, the Fertility tribe, another tribe in the region, holds to Christian based ideals, with a remnant of the religion that occured pre-WWIII. This tribe primarily holds the few remaining fertile beings that see themselves as “God’s chosen ones”. Down by Lake Michigan lies the Lake tribe, the worshippers of Lucky, the giant white alligator that lives in the murky depths. With the effects of radiation, mixed with some biological weaponry, this albino alligator from the local zoo had grown around five times in size. The tribe’s origins can be traced to a group of fanatics who felt abandoned by God in the throes of war and radiation mutation. Beginning with a mix of hippie nature idealism (purity) and native culture appropriation, the cult grew to create this new faith. The white scales of Lucky are revered as sacred objects of purity that can protect its holder from the radiation “diseases” or mutations. This tribe thrives on hydroelectric power and believes Lucky is the way end this era of infertility. With Lucky as their God, human sacrifices are fairly common. The third religious group of the area is the naturalist tribe, formed by the surviving Native American population around Gator Bay. The naturalist tribe practices various rituals born from their old Native American traditions. For the most part, the naturalist tribe holds the enlarged animals and changed wilderness as something sacred that should be respected. However, unlike the lake tribe the naturalistic tribe does not see Lucky or any of the mutated animals as all-powerful deities, and the naturalistic tribe does not practice human sacrifice. The naturalistic tribe also knows that though the mutated animals may be worthy of respect, they can still be dangerous, and the whole tribe knows when to keep its distance. Even the tribes that are not explicitly religious, have developed some superstitions and rituals. Fertility is a common topic in local superstition, as the tribes do not the medical knowledge or any other means of predicting who will be fertile and who won’t be. On the outskirts of the bay area live a scattered tribe of mutated and irradiated individuals. They are a mixture of war veterans, their descendants, and people who stayed in radiation zone areas for too long. Their mutations vary, but they share a mind-addled behavior of float-like consciousness and a belief that they now possess psychic abilities (which is often believed to just be hogwash by the other tribes who interact with them).
Arts and Culture
With the focus on survival, artistic and cultural influence has dwindled. All forms of entertainment have merely been passed on from the time before. Whenever possible, tribes will watch a movie or TV show together with their limited power reserves.Yet this behavior is limited, as the electricity is often sorely needed elsewhere.The same remains true for music and dance. With the increased focus on survival, musical instruments are seen as needless, especially when any metal can be traded for food with the military. Even the Native Americans whose cultural surrounds song and dance, has completely abandoned it. Once their fertility god, Kokopelli seemingly abandoned them, his iconic flute playing and dancing were rejected among the tribe as a way to exact revenge. The only tribe that cares about culture and its preservation is the scholar tribe. The scholar tribe feels they have a responsibility to preserve culture and history, and teach others about the world around them. Even though this tribe is responsible for teaching history and cultural knowledge, it is viewed as one of the least influential tribes. There are those in the other tribes who think the scholar tribe is delusional to care about such “insignificant” subjects.
Technology
Most technology has not progressed in 100 years. Tribe members are still rewatching TV shows from 2018 and listening to older musicians such as Justin Bieber. The only progression seen is used solely for survival. Solar panel outfits have helped to generate power, while putting in minimal effort. Hydroelectric power has advanced immensely with their proximity to a main water source. New developing technology focuses on minimizing the power that has been accumulated to have more accessible technology. Most tribes have harnessed one main form of technology that binds them together, with the need for electric power. The only exception to this, remains the military tribe. With the war still on their minds, “needless” technology is introduced weekly. Members of Gator Bay are constantly given new weapons that are almost completely useless to survival. Even though the military provides some technology for the public, it collects more than it gives away. The tribe is intent to stockpile anything that they think will need for the war they believe is looming on the horizon. Many technologies that the other tribes see as “useless” maintain some value in society, if only as trade material to exchange with the military.
Table of Contents
Curabitur vestibulum ullamcorper nisi, vel eleifend libero suscipit at. Vestibulum ipsum lorem, elementum sit amet euismod venenatis, commodo sed dui. In vehicula diam sit amet felis ultrices, ut pretium ipsum cursus. Nam at varius eros. Integer placerat odio nisl. Praesent cursus dolor ac scelerisque porttitor. Etiam posuere elit et elit maximus sagittis. Quisque laoreet lorem sit amet massa hendrerit, eget dignissim lectus aliquet. Ut a cursus ligula. Vivamus hendrerit consequat malesuada. Ut sollicitudin, turpis at ultrices commodo, ligula augue tristique ipsum, id posuere ex erat ac felis.
Quisque ipsum mauris, viverra vitae iaculis ac, scelerisque sed diam. Aenean tempor porta nibh sed interdum. Nam lacus lacus, interdum quis interdum vitae, iaculis sit amet massa. Duis vehicula mollis purus ut pharetra. Nullam scelerisque risus libero, a rhoncus magna porttitor in. Vivamus vel ante augue. Nam ut nibh nec dolor ornare mattis at id urna. In aliquam dictum dui, eu tristique orci porttitor a. Suspendisse porta sagittis eros, sit.Governance
Since the area of Gator Bay is primarily divided up into separate tribes, it’s only natural that the few remaining fertile people would band together. As they began to grow in number, this tribe began to recognize the power they held over the other people in the Gator Bay area. Being the only tribe with access to children, this “Fertility Tribe” began to expand into more city area, garnering control of some of the only working hospitals and schools. This tribe will trade such social services to other for food or other resources, like power or weapons. Trade is done at trading posts, and there are two present within the region. Despite the government’s strong presence, there is no set government building or capital because the people of Gator Bay, for the most part, do not listen to the government and laws are not common.Governing Tribe
The governing tribe is quite large, and has the means to create and enforce laws through its connection with the military tribe and its access to the limited power in the area. The tribe is quite present in the city area, though it has yet to establish or enforce any particular rule of law, it is beginning to explore that power. For years, the people of Gator Bay followed their own set of unspoken laws, of course some people did not, but in more recent times, perhaps within the past three years, the several tribes of Gator Bay have been taking the governing tribe more seriously. This is partly due to the governing tribe’s growing power and military connections, though it is likely that the people are tired and are hoping they can return to how things were before the war destroyed civilization as they--predominantly the elders--knew it.
This governing tribe occasionally trades with the military for weapons that it can use to protect its lands and its citizens. The Gator Bay area is infested with giant animals, the mutated results of the biochemical weapons used in World War III, and it is important that the governing tribe has the means to secure the area it has expanded into. Although, these weapons are sometimes found useless, due to the utter strength and size of the mutations. Such is true with Lucky, the mutated gator that has taken home in the lake. With its strengthened skin and size of a beast, its scales remain nearly impenetrable. However, the weapons do prove effective when scaring off larger deer or killing weaker animals.
The large tribe of fertile people trades access to adoption in exchange for most of their other needs. The other smaller tribes must maintain good relations with this fertility tribe if they wish to continue to exist in the area at all. Without adoption, their numbers would dwindle. Tribe jumping amongst adults tends to be rare and it is even more rare to jump from a large tribe to a smaller one. This allows the fertility tribe to trade frequently with the military tribe. With the military in constant fear of follow up attacks from the previous war, they constantly require new recruits to serve and train under them. Though nobody knows exactly what the military is up to in their base, it is known that they have weapons and are willing to trade in order to stay high up on adoption lists. Their high supplies of MREs and non-perishable food have allowed them to remain such a strong force.
The Fertility tribe has mostly taken up residence in the city area near the river, leading to the bay. Just South-East of the river delta is a few city blocks that are close enough together that they are easy to protect and support. This tribe bonds through its privilege of fertility. The 20% of the population that is still fertile have stuck together in a tribe of its own. With limited power sources and resources, the ability to produce children remains their one asset that is pivotal to survival. This tribe contains the most growth and provides children for other tribes in exchange for essential needs.
Lake Tribe
The Lake tribe has survived through hydroelectric power, with their proximity to water. The lake produces very few opportunities for fish and other food, but gives a source for clean water and power. When radiation and biological warfare became incorporated into WWIII, most animals died, but some grew in size and strength. The Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo was once the home to a rare albino alligator named Lucky. Lucky was one of the few that survived the radiation and grew over four times the size of a normal gator. He lurked into the nearby lake and claimed it as his own. The Lake tribe remains his one source of food. To protect themselves from the beast and provide a gift to their gator god, the Fertility tribe will often take a member of a neighboring tribe as their monthly sacrifice.Naturalistics
The final tribe with major influence, the Naturalistics, are composed of the remaining Native Americans. This group remains peaceful and manages to feed off the Earth. With the unkept industrial side of Gator Bay dwindling, nature has taken over the town. The Naturalistic tribe gets nutrients from the grass and trees, living off the non-mutated parts of the county. These passive individuals have only one firm stance. When the fertility problem first arose, the Native Americans, specifically of the Ho-Chunk tribe, venerated their god, Man’una. This deity is known as the “Earthmaker”, who the Ho-Chunk believe was responsible for creating the world and bringing life to it. When he refused to answer their prayers, the Native American tribe sought their revenge by stopping all appreciation of dance and music. Their strong stance has rarely been questioned, as musical instruments are seen as non-essential wastes and dance has not been practiced in years.Other Tribes
These three major tribes wield influence over the smaller tribes that make up the rest of Gator Bay. Other important tribes includes the military, farmers, miners, the historians, scrappers, electricians, artisans, breeders and the technicians.Most of these groups focus on doing exactly what there name entails them doing. The technicians fix old technology, create new technology, and are always desperately trying to make everything they get a hold of use as little power as possible. The miners mine.
The scrappers on the other hand tend to keep to their own. They are mutants, being the only humans still around either directly affected by, or the descendants of, the biological warfare that occurred so long ago. Some people believe that they possess psychic powers but most people in Gator Bay see that as hogwash.
The artisans build home goods and make clothing, as well as constantly working on ways to make recipes in order to increase the flavor profiles of the limited variety of edible foods in the area. The historians are the last vestige of culture in Gator Bay. They hold on to records of media from the past and trade entertainment for energy and other essentials. In addition to this they are the closest thing to teachers this world has, educating anyone and everyone that will listen. Farmers tend crops and they live in close correspondence with the breeders who raise livestock.
Economics
The biological weapons used in WWIII caused significant mutations in the flora and fauna in the land surrounding Gator Bay. The most common observable result of these mutations is a drastic increase in size of plants and animals living in this area.To someone not familiar with the Gator Bay area, it would seem that food is plentiful. However, the Gator Bay region is considered to be experiencing a food shortage, as although there is plentiful wildlife, most of it is assumed to be unsafe for human consumption. Attempts to identify and/or cultivate species that are not toxic or otherwise harmful to human consumption have yielded very little success as multiple members of the same species may vary widely in terms of toxicity and nutritional value.
Trade and Domesticated Animals
Trade is the main component of the economy in Gator Bay. Despite having little to no source of trade from outside communities, there are a few main trading posts of sorts within Gator Bay itself. Tribes with higher populations and those with much more accessible forms of technology, wildlife, and energy sources become cultural centers, and the smaller tribes with less social standings will often trade manual labor for goods or food. However, the lack of outside trade caused this region to have an immense decline in gas and oil, resulting in transport systems such as trains, cars, and other machinery becoming obsolete. Instead, many of the tribes have turned to domesticating the local mutated animal population. Because many of the local fauna were affected by the biological weaponry of WWIII, traditionally smaller creatures such as deer, raccoon, and rabbits have all grown substantially in size. Deer have become the most preferred form of transportation, as they have many desirable qualities other animals lack. They are easy to domesticate, fast, require little food source as grazing animals, and can be bred as young as six months old, providing an easily-sustainable population for widespread access to transport throughout all of the tribes. Once domesticated, they are broken into teams of six to eight, much like dog sleds or horse-drawn coaches. Most often, these deer-sleds are used to make trips to and from the land to the north of Gator Bay, the Black Forty Mines, where metals and minerals are relatively accessible and are a common trading good between all classes of the tribes. For control purposes, the population of “transport deer” are bred to be mostly female, since the males are far larger, roughly the size of Clydesdale horses. Each population has two or three males to carry heavy carts of materials back from the mines, but for the most part, these teams of transport deer are predominantly female.On top of mutated deer, the population of Gator Bay has also domesticated the local populations of wolves, coyotes, and foxes as personal transport systems--much like the everydayman’s car. Similarly to cars, these animals also have different levels of appeal. Coyotes are the easiest to find and domesticate due to their high population, but are visually the most lackluster, ideal for people who care about function more than fashion. Wolves and foxes appeal to the members of society with “finer taste”, as their array of coat colors appeal in the same way different models of sports cars appeal to a modern man, but they are not as common to find as coyotes and are often far more temperamental and difficult to domesticate, foxes especially.
Stockpiles
As far as food sources go, other than mutated crops and scavenging the land, one such tribe of the region - known as The Military - holds a pre-war stockpile of food which offers a safer more dependable source of sustenance than what the other tribes can find through foraging. The Military mostly keeps itself separate from the other tribes, but is willing to trade food from its stockpiles for various goods the other tribes have collected. Although, the tribes in the region are lacking in food, the urban areas are full of machinery, electronics, and finished goods that several tribes gather for trade. In addition, some tribes harvest metals from the mines in the north. In this way, the tribes are heavily involved in increasing amounts of trade, while the agricultural aspects of society are ultimately lacking. Electronic and machinery scavengers are on the rise as the Military still views these resources is highly valuable for another possible war on the horizon. In turn, whatever the Military sees as valuable becomes a sort of fiat currency. Energy sources usually take center stage, anything from AA batteries, alternators, gas generators, or solar panels are traded like bars of gold. Despite this, industry has yet to recover since the populations decline. Very few are knowledgeable on the subject, and they generally use that knowledge to maintain or repair what is commonly used by their tribes rather than try and manufacture any goods. Instead, engineers tends to be used for constructing and maintaining buildings and vehicles.Daily Life
While the general public is much more concerned with eating and feeling more and more comfortable in tribal lifestyles, guns and weapons take a back seat. Guns and other old broken and battered military equipment is traded into society and dismantled for parts, mechanisms, fire starters, and flares to deter the giant roaming animals.The entertainment industry is virtually non-existent, with tribes largely choosing to ignore creating new entertainment to focus on more practical matters. Instead, people trade older entertainment within and between tribes, with a focus on things that do not take up any power such as books or board games.
The service industry has been abandoned due to lack of the resources needed to drive it. With food being limited, restaurants do not exist. Instead, small groups gather most of the tribe’s food, then exchange that for other goods. This means that while food is limited, most people have little difficulty obtaining enough to live off.
There is a difference in resource distribution among the tribes, but the disparities between groups are relatively small. Where one tribe is lacking in power, food, pelts, or building material; they typically have access to another type of resources some of the other tribes do not. As such, the people of the region mostly substance themselves through a balanced system of trade.
Due to the inclimate weather of apocalyptic winters, furs, pelts, and textiles are some of the most frequently traded items and make up for a majority of the economy, right next to dried meats and foods with a long shelf life. Things like the Military’s MRE’s, and dehydrated packages, as well as dried nuts fruits and berries to accompany salted meats.
Social Relations
Fertile and Infertile Populations
The biological weapons used in World War III resulted in a high percentage of infertility among the surviving population of Gator Bay. Because of this infertility, a division between fertile and infertile individuals arose. The few that are fertile live together in a small but powerful tribe, backed by two other tribes comprised of the military and religious extremists. They form the central government of the bay area and have control over prime land. Their jobs mainly focus on leadership and reproduction, leaving less desirable jobs to the infertile population - including farming, scavenging, construction, etc.In general the fertile tribe has mixed emotion towards it by other tribes. Some smaller tribes that see the world and humanity as inevitably doomed do not see any merit in supporting or raising up randomly chosen individuals. Other tribes tend to be so focused on their own societies that they do not concern themselves with such trivial ideas. One such tribe, the Gamma Guild which holds an elementary school based nuclear reactor, creates the majority of the electrical energy for nearby tribes. They keep to themselves and are often looked down upon for their gross mutations and physical appearance. However the Fertile tribe creates many children, so when some inevitably turn out infertile and are sent away, the other tribes such as the Gamma Guild acquire new workers. It is this small trade that incentivizes the Gamma Guild to provide the Fertile tribespeople with power, as the lives of the Gammafolk are often short and ill fated.
The fertile believe they are chosen by God, and have interpreted out of that their divine right to rule. They are what drives the future of their society (literally with their offspring) and so they are the “1%”, the highest class. The infertile make up a more equalized faction, with some tribes perhaps having an easier role than others (ex. Running technology versus farming on the border) but overall having a generally equal standing. The regulations and rule of law of the government don’t extend further than general mandates and the percentage of crops/supplies the government dictates they receive (think a lord and his peasants) but the infertile otherwise fend for themselves.
These views are not shared by every tribe. While the fertile believe themselves self proclaimed nobles, many other tribes see them as just an uptight tribe that pumps out new workers. This is beneficial as a whole however not immediately beneficial as children are a long term investment, and the working population drops off sometimes much faster than children are born. With the exception of the few tribes that idolize them as the future of a civilized and prosperous society a divide is created between those that live to survive the day, and those that strive for a grand future. This is often a great debate between civilians, whether there is a future to look up to, or simply a numbered amount of days to enjoy. Those that cherish the latter are often rash and self subservient, while the former tribes people tend to attempt to set up lasting social constructs. This leads to ultimately a judgement of ideals. As long as the world exists in this state of societal turmoil, this dilemma will always exist. The question of whether there is a future to look forward too, or simply fleeting memories of the past to try to cling to until you inevitably fade away.
Sexuality
Sexual orientation is something that only matters when the person is fertile. Those who are fertile must be in heterosexual relationships in order to repopulate. This leads to a severe discriminatory outlook on homosexuality within the fertile community. Often, people who are found to be homosexual are either punished within the community or, much less frequently, exiled. Despite the low occurrence, most homosexual fertile people choose to keep their sexuality a secret to all and continue the repopulation effort to avoid the chance of being kicked out. Individuals who are not fertile, however, are seen as less important by those in power, and therefore their sexuality doesn't matter. Because of the hard division between those who are fertile and those who are not, the binary (male/female) outlook on gender has more or less disappeared. Instead, those who are not fertile might consider themselves a “third gender”, since their biological sex isn’t considered important or relevant in terms of reproduction. Gender however is almost only discussed to any length within the tribe that is fertile. For in outlying tribes sexuality ultimately has lost it's meaning. You cannot claim that homosexuality is killing the population, when there is no chance of child bearing in the first place. In this way most tribes do not discuss the moral or ethical decisions of sexuality. Sexuality is more fluid and diverse, as relationships between strong pairings of any kind come to the surface. After all, a pair of strong women are twice as likely to kick your ass if you get in their way.Race
Race originally played a much more powerful role before World War III since the surrounding area was predominantly white, but after the infertility crisis, power shifted from a racial standpoint to a reproductive standpoint. Although a few of the weaker/smaller tribes are still separated by race (the Native Americans, for example, are their own tribe with a religion that differs from the fertile tribe’s religion), race is not as heavily weighted as it originally was due to the rise in power of fertile individuals. That being said, residual racism is still evident in Gator Bay, as many of the “minority tribes”, such as tribes that are predominantly Asian or predominantly Hispanic, are tasked with the more undesirable societal jobs. These jobs could be anything from testing mutated crops for ingestion safety and wrangling the overgrown farm animals to being chosen as a “sacrificial offering” (or even a snack) for the fertility God. This division comes from more of a historical background than any real circumstance. When stories or histories dictate rumors of immigration and slavery, some of the ideals stick in the back of the minds of the upcoming societies. this can be seen easily in the splitting of the tribes into smaller groups. The Tribes became as they are due to a number of reasons, but generally they were created around similarities rather than random chance. Between beliefs, physical appearance, physical opportunities, or even just sanity and assumed lineage, these tribes were birthed from many of the same reasons we had countries and borders in the past.Cultural Influences
Military Influence
Although World War III has long passed, the military presence in Gator Bay is still strong. The remaining 1,308 militia have formed their own tribe often called the military tribe or the Military by the other tribes in the region, focused on the accumulation of ammunition and weaponry. They inhabit Fort McCoy, although the building was meant to hold up to 35,000 people. With this large of a military fortress, the tribe trades MREs for any scavenged metals or metals gathered from nearby mines. It is here that new weapons are formed for the next World War, although no other tribes seem to share the concern. There is no longer a call to join the military tribe and the public is losing interest. The military tribe still sees itself as part of the US Army. Although the military tribe is mainly dedicated to stockpiling for a future war, it also helps protect the region. Usually the only protection the Military provides is from the large mutated animals surrounding the county. However, the military tribe still fears the possibility that outsiders or other strangers may show up and try to claim Gator Bay for themselves. Most of the other tribes believe that if anyone is still around outside of Gator Bay, they would busy dealing with their own survival and wouldn’t bother with anyone in another region. As time passes and the tribes in the region care less and less about the possibility of war, the other tribes of Gator Bay increasingly see the military as a distant but well-supplied trading partner and nothing more. The back forty tribe keeps the Black Forty Mine north of town open mostly to trade the mined metals with the military, and other tribes can barter scraps and less desirable metals from them to keep their own technology running.Religious Influence
With the increased need for survival, various tribes have banded together in Gator Bay. As previously stated, the militaristic tribe holds interests in protection and stockpiling weaponry and other supplies. With the solar panels set-up for power and plentiful food supplies, the tribe has strength in resources. Meanwhile, the Fertility tribe, another tribe in the region, holds to Christian based ideals, with a remnant of the religion that occured pre-WWIII. This tribe primarily holds the few remaining fertile beings that see themselves as “God’s chosen ones”. Down by Lake Michigan lies the Lake tribe, the worshippers of Lucky, the giant white alligator that lives in the murky depths. With the effects of radiation, mixed with some biological weaponry, this albino alligator from the local zoo had grown around five times in size. The tribe’s origins can be traced to a group of fanatics who felt abandoned by God in the throes of war and radiation mutation. Beginning with a mix of hippie nature idealism (purity) and native culture appropriation, the cult grew to create this new faith. The white scales of Lucky are revered as sacred objects of purity that can protect its holder from the radiation “diseases” or mutations. This tribe thrives on hydroelectric power and believes Lucky is the way end this era of infertility. With Lucky as their God, human sacrifices are fairly common. The third religious group of the area is the naturalist tribe, formed by the surviving Native American population around Gator Bay. The naturalist tribe practices various rituals born from their old Native American traditions. For the most part, the naturalist tribe holds the enlarged animals and changed wilderness as something sacred that should be respected. However, unlike the lake tribe the naturalistic tribe does not see Lucky or any of the mutated animals as all-powerful deities, and the naturalistic tribe does not practice human sacrifice. The naturalistic tribe also knows that though the mutated animals may be worthy of respect, they can still be dangerous, and the whole tribe knows when to keep its distance. Even the tribes that are not explicitly religious, have developed some superstitions and rituals. Fertility is a common topic in local superstition, as the tribes do not the medical knowledge or any other means of predicting who will be fertile and who won’t be. On the outskirts of the bay area live a scattered tribe of mutated and irradiated individuals. They are a mixture of war veterans, their descendants, and people who stayed in radiation zone areas for too long. Their mutations vary, but they share a mind-addled behavior of float-like consciousness and a belief that they now possess psychic abilities (which is often believed to just be hogwash by the other tribes who interact with them).Arts and Culture
With the focus on survival, artistic and cultural influence has dwindled. All forms of entertainment have merely been passed on from the time before. Whenever possible, tribes will watch a movie or TV show together with their limited power reserves.Yet this behavior is limited, as the electricity is often sorely needed elsewhere.The same remains true for music and dance. With the increased focus on survival, musical instruments are seen as needless, especially when any metal can be traded for food with the military. Even the Native Americans whose cultural surrounds song and dance, has completely abandoned it. Once their fertility god, Kokopelli seemingly abandoned them, his iconic flute playing and dancing were rejected among the tribe as a way to exact revenge. The only tribe that cares about culture and its preservation is the scholar tribe. The scholar tribe feels they have a responsibility to preserve culture and history, and teach others about the world around them. Even though this tribe is responsible for teaching history and cultural knowledge, it is viewed as one of the least influential tribes. There are those in the other tribes who think the scholar tribe is delusional to care about such “insignificant” subjects.Technology
Most technology has not progressed in 100 years. Tribe members are still rewatching TV shows from 2018 and listening to older musicians such as Justin Bieber. The only progression seen is used solely for survival. Solar panel outfits have helped to generate power, while putting in minimal effort. Hydroelectric power has advanced immensely with their proximity to a main water source. New developing technology focuses on minimizing the power that has been accumulated to have more accessible technology. Most tribes have harnessed one main form of technology that binds them together, with the need for electric power. The only exception to this, remains the military tribe. With the war still on their minds, “needless” technology is introduced weekly. Members of Gator Bay are constantly given new weapons that are almost completely useless to survival. Even though the military provides some technology for the public, it collects more than it gives away. The tribe is intent to stockpile anything that they think will need for the war they believe is looming on the horizon. Many technologies that the other tribes see as “useless” maintain some value in society, if only as trade material to exchange with the military.People, Places, and Things